Production of textile materials



Nov. 7, 1933.

W. -l. TAYLOR PRODUCTION OF TEXTILE MATERIALS FIG-1 Filed Sept. 17. 1929 mega- APurme s Patented Nov. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,933,607 PRODUCTION OF TEXTILE MATERIALS Application September 17,

1929, Serial No.

393,286, and in Great Britain September 28,

20 Claims.

This invention relates to the production of textile materials and more particularly to the production of artificial silk or other artificial filaments or threads by the extrusion of spinning solutions through jets, nozzles, or other orifices, whether by the dry or evaporative method or by the wet or coagulation method.

According to the invention, a number of filaments extruded from a plurality of spinning orifices, for example, from a inulti-apertured jet or nozzle, are associated and physically united to form a single larger filament or thread. The association of the filaments is efiected While'they are in a sticky condition, the filaments thus adhering together and uniting to form a single filament or thread. By extruding the filaments separately, a proportion of the solvent contained therein is removed prior to the association of the filaments, and after association and union of the filaments into the single filament or thread, the residual solvent, or most of it, is removed. In order, however, to ensure that the filaments are sufficiently sticky to adhere to each other, a setting medium rich in solvent may be maintained round them until they are associated. For instance, in the case of the production of the filaments by the dry-spinning method, a space round and beyond the jet may be more or less enclosed so as to cause solvent vapour to be retained about the filaments prior to their association.

The filaments to be associated may be extruded from separate jets, or from a perforated disc or other multifilament type of jet having any desired arrangement of spinning orifices, but preferably a multifilament jet of the type having a circle or two or more concentric circles of orifices is employed.

Association of the filaments may be effected in any suitable way, a convenient Way being by the employment of a fluid stream which causes ,the filaments to converge and adhere to each other by reason of their sticky or tacky nature. Thus, the filaments may pass through a device of double tubular form from which a stream of air or other gas in the case of dry spinning, and fluid in the case of wet spinning, emerges in such a way as to exert an ejector action on the filaments, and at the same time causing them to converge. Or, the air or other gas or other fluid may be blown inwardly on to a bundle of filaments to bring the filaments into association so that they adhere to each other.

The single large filament or thread produced by the association andunion of a number of filaments is hereafter referred to as a unitary filament.

After formation, the unitary filament is hardened by losing further solvent, and is then wound by any suitable winding operation, preferably 0. outside the chamber or cell.

If desired, the unitary filamentmay be subjected to a drawing orv stretching operation while proceeding to thewinding device, and preferably while still containing an appreciable amount of 5, residual solvent.

The invention is particularly applicable to the production by the dry or evaporative method of filaments having a basis of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivatives, such as cellulose fore mate, propionate or butyrate, thiocarbamic or f alkoxy-alkacyl esters of cellulose, methyl ethyl or benzyl cellulose, or the condensation products of celluose and glycols or other polyhydric alcohols, but may be applied also to the formation of unitary filaments by the wet-spinning method from spinning solutions of cellulose derivatives such as those mentioned above or from viscose, nitro-cellulose, or cuprammonium solutions.

Unitary filaments according to the'inv'e'ntion 8 may be applied to the production of the textile fabrics or articles constituting the invention described in co pending application No. 383,153 filed August 2, v1929.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which 11- I lustrates by way of example two forms of apparatus operating in conjunction with the production of artificial filaments by downward spinning into an evaporative atmosphere, but it is to be understood that the following description is in no way limitativeJ In the drawing:-,

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a spinning cell fitted with one form of apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of another form of apparatus, and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the underside of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2. L

Referring to Fig. 1, a bundle of filaments 1 extruded from a multi-filament jet 2 intoa spinning cell 3 passes some distance down the cell until a substantial amount of volatile solvent has been removed by the action of evaporative medium in the cell, and then enters adevice 4 consisting of inner and outercones 5, 6 forming an annular space to which compressed air is supplied from the pipe 7. The filaments enter the larger end of the conical device and are drawn through and discharged from the outlet 8 of the 11-0 device by the ejector action or" the compressed air issuing from the space between the cones, the filaments in their passage from the inner cone 5 converging as shown, and by reason of their sticky condition adhering together to form a unitary filament or thread 9. In its passage from the device 4, the unitary filament loses still more solvent and may then collected in any suitable way. Thus, it may be withdrawn through an opening 10 in the wail of the cell 3 and passed round the feed roll ii and wound on the bobbin 12. The feed roller 11 may rotate at a peripheral speed greater than the speed of extrusion so as to subject the filaments to a drawing or stretch-- ing operation continuously with their extrusion.

Figs. 2 and 3 show a device which may conveniently be supported by the pipe which supplies spinning solution to the jet, the device comprising a sleeve or hood 15 which is adjustably secured to the candle 16. A nut 17 serves to hold the sleeve or hood securely in place at any desired height. The lower end of the sleeve or hood 15 is closed by a disc-l8 hinged at 19 to the sleeve or hood, a slot 20 being formed in the disc 18 to enable it to be swung up into closed position after extrusion has commenced. The sleeve or hood 15 thus forms a more or less closed chamber round and below the jet in which chamber solvent vapours evolved during extrusion are concentrated.

On the underside of the disc 18 is mounted a tube 21 forming an incomplete ring, a gap in the ring coinciding with the slot 20. A series of holes 22 is drilled round the inside of the ring 21 and are so arranged as to direct air which is deliveredto the ring through a pipe 23 inwardly, and preferably downwardly,on to the filaments 24 passing down from the jet 25. It is preferred to extrude the filaments from a series of orifices which are grouped close together so that the filaments emerge in the form of a narrow bundle which can be readily associated unto a unitary filament by the air issuing from the holes 22.

A continuous slot or a number of slots may replace the holes 22. A latch or other device (not shown) serves to hold the disc 18 in its closed position against the bottom of the sleeve 01 hood 15.

The unitary filament may be wound as described with reference to Fig. 1.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. Process for the production or" artificial filaments, comprising extruding a plurality of filaments into a setting fluid and projecting a fluid in such a manner on to the filaments as to cause them to be associated together while they are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to adhere together so as to form a single filament.

2. Process for the production of artificial filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose, comprising extruding a plurality of filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose into a setting fluid and projecting a fluid in such a manner on to the filaments as to cause them to be associated together while they are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to adhere together so as to form'a single filament.

3. Process for the production of artificial filaments of, cellulose acetate comprising extruding a plurality of filaments of cellulose acetate into a setting fluid and projecting a fluid in such a manner on to the filaments as to cause them to be associated together while they are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to adhere together so as to form a single filament.

4. Process for the production of artificial filaments of cellulose acetate, comprising extruding a plurality of filaments of cellulose acetate into an evaporative atmosphere and projectinga gas in such a manner onto the filaments as to cause them to be associated together while they are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to adhere together so as to form a single filament.

5. Process for the production of artificial filaments, comprising extruding a plurality of filaments into a setting fiuid, projecting a fluid in such a manner on to the filaments as to cause them to be associated together while they are in a sticky condition, and maintaining a high proportion of solvent material in the setting fluid prior to the point of association, whereby the filaments are caused to adhere together so as to form a single filament.

6. Process for the production of artificial filaments of cellulose acetate, comprising extruding a plurality of filaments of cellulose acetate into an evaporative atmosphere, projecting a gas in such a manner on to the filaments as to cause them to be associated together while they are in a sticky condition, and maintaining a high proportion of solvent vapor in the evaporative medium prior to the point of association, whereby the filaments are caused to adhere together so as to form a single filament.

7. Process for the production of artificial filaments, comprising extruding a pluralityof filaments into a setting fiuid and projecting a fiuid in such a manner on to the filaments as to cause them to be associated together while they are in a sticky condition, and stretching the filaments during their production, whereby the filaments are caused to adhere together so as to form a single filament.

8. Process for the production of artificial fllaments of cellulose acetate, comprising extruding a plurality of filaments of cellulose acetate into an evaporative atmosphere, projecting a gas in such a manner on to the filaments as to cause them to be associated together while they are in a sticky condition, and stretching the filaments during their production, whereby the filaments are caused to adhere together so as to form a single filament.

9. Process for the production of artificial filaments of cellulose acetate, comprising extruding a plurality of filaments of cellulose acetate into an evaporative atmosphere, projecting a gas in such a manner on to the filaments as to cause them to be associated together while they are in a sticky condition, maintaining a high proportion of solvent vapor in the evaporative atmosphere prior to the point of extrusion, and stretching the filaments during their production, whereby the filaments are caused to adhere together so as to form a single filament.

16. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments, comprising means for extruding a plurality of artificial filaments into a setting fluid, and means for projecting a fluid in such a manner on to the filaments as to bring the filaments into association with each other, said means being disposed at a point whichis at some distance from the point of extrusion but at which the filaments are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to unite together to form a single filament.

11. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments, comprising means for extruding a plurality of artificial filaments into a setting fluid, means for projecting a fluid in such a manner on to the filaments as to bring the filaments into association with each other, said means being disposed at a point which is at some distance from the point of extrusion but at which the filaments are in a sticky condition, and means for stretching the filaments during their production, whereby the filaments are caused to unite together to form a single filament.

12. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments, comprising means for extruding a plurality of artificial filaments into a setting fluid, and an ejector device through which the sticky filaments pass, said ejector device being positioned to project a fluid in such a manner on to the filaments as to bring the filaments into association with each other, said means being disposed at a point which is at some distance from the point of extrusion but at which the filaments are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to unite to form a single filament.

13. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments, comprising means for extruding a plurality or" artificial filaments into a setting fiuid, a perforated pipe for projecting a fluid in such a manner on to the filaments as to bring the filaments into association with each other, said means being disposed at a point which is at some distance from the point of extrusion but at which the filaments are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to unite to form a single filament.

14. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments, comprising means for extruding a plurality of artificial filaments into a setting fluid, a sleeve positioned to surround the filaments immediately after the point of extrusion and closed at one end to maintain a high proportion of solvent in the surrounding setting fluid, and means for projecting a fiuid in such a manner on to the filaments as to bring the filaments into association with each other, said means being disposed at a point which is at some distance from the point of extrusion but at which the filaments are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to unite to form a single filament.

15. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments, comprising a spinning cell, means for extruding a plurality of artificial filaments into an evaporative medium in said cell, and means for projecting a gas in such a manner on to the filaments as to bring the filaments into association with each other, said means being disposed at a point which is at some distance from the point of extrusion but at which they are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to unite together to form a single filament.

16. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments, comprising a spinning cell, means for extruding a plurality of artificial filaments into an evaporative medium in said cell, means for projecting a gas in such a manner on to the filaments as to bring the filaments into association with each other, said means being disposed at a point which is at some distance from the point of extrusion but at which they are in a sticky condition, and means for stretching the filaments during their production, whereby the filaments are caused to unite together to form a single filament.

17. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments, comprising a spinning cell, means for extruding a plurality of artificial filaments into an evaporative medium in said cell, and an ejector device through which the sticky filaments pass, said ejector device being adapted to project a gas in such a manner on to the filaments as to bring the filaments into association with each other, said means being disposed at a point which is at some distance from the point of extrusion but at which they are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to unite together to form a single filament.

18. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments, comprising a spinning cell, means for extruding a plurality of artificial filaments into an evaporative medium in said cell, a perforated pipe for projecting a gas in such a manner on to the filaments as to bring the filaments into association with each other, said means being disposed at a point which is at some distance from the point of extrusion but at which they are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to unite together to form a single filament.

19. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments, comprising a spinning cell, means for extruding a plurality of artificial filaments into an evaporative medium in said cell, a sleeve positioned to surround the filaments immediately after the point of extrusion, and closed at one end to maintain a high proportion of solvent vapor in the surrounding atmosphere and means for projecting a gas in such a manner on to the filaments as to bring the filaments into association with each other, said means being disposed at a point which isat some distance from the point of extrusion but at which they are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to unite together to form a single filament.

20. Apparatus for the production of artificial filaments comprising a spinning cell, means for disposed at a point which is at some distance from the point of extrusion but at which they are in a sticky condition, whereby the filaments are caused to unite together to form a single filament.

WILLIAM IVAN TAYLOR. 

